Tennis Hall of Fame

BSharma · Post by **BSharma** » Mon Jul 07, 2003 5:30 am

The list of tennis players who have been inducted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport does not include any Indian. Looking through the list of players makes me feel that Ramanathan Krishnan should have been inducted.

Here is the eligibility criteria:

Recent Player Category Eligibility Criteria

Active as competitors in the sport within the last 20 years prior to consideration.
Not a significant factor on the ATP Tour or the WTA Tour within five years prior to election.
A distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level, with consideration given to integrity, sportsmanship and character.

To be inducted as a Recent Player, a panel of the international tennis media votes on Recent Player nominees; a 75% favorable vote is required for Enshrinement.

Master Player Category Eligibility Criteria

Competitors in the sport who have been retired for at least 20 years prior to consideration.
A distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level, with consideration given to integrity, sportsmanship and character.

To be inducted as a Master Player, an affirmative vote of 75% or higher is necessary. The International Masters Panel, which consists of Hall of Fame Enshrinees and other individuals who are highly knowledgeable of the sport and its history, selects the Master Player Enshrinees.

Contributor Category Eligibility Criteria

Exceptional contributions that have furthered the growth, reputation and character of the sport, in categories such as administration, media, coaching and officiating.
Contributor candidates do not need to be retired from their activities related to the sport.

To be inducted as a Contributor, a nominee must receive the following: a) an affirmative vote of 75% or higher, and b) the highest percentage of affirmative votes. The International Masters Panel, which consists of Hall of Fame Enshrinees and other individuals who are highly knowledgeable of the sport and its history, selects the Contributor Enshrinees.

Here is the list of players who have been inducted in the Tennis Hall of Fame:
Adee, George* United States 1964
Alexander, Fred* United States 1961
Allison, Wilmer* United States 1963
Alonso, Manuel* Spain 1977
Anderson, Malcolm Australia 2000
Ashe, Arthur* United States 1985
Atkinson, Juliette* United States 1974
Austin, H.W. "Bunny"* Great Britain 1997
Austin, Tracy United States 1992

B
Baker, Lawrence, Sr.* United States 1975
Barger-Wallach, Maud* United States 1958
Becker, Boris Germany 2003
Behr, Karl* United States 1969
Betz (Addie), Pauline United States 1965
Borg, Bjorn Sweden 1987
Borotra, Jean* France 1976
Bowrey, Lesley Turner Australia 1997
Bromwich, John* Australia 1984
Brookes, Norman* Australia 1977
Brough (Clapp), Louise United States 1967
Browne, Mary K.* United States 1957
Brugnon, Jacques* France 1976
Budge, Don* United States 1964
Bueno, Maria Brazil 1964
C
Cahill, Mabel* Ireland 1976
Campbell, Oliver* United States 1955
Casals, Rosemary "Rosie" United States 1996
Chace, Malcolm* United States 1961
Chatrier, Philippe* France 1992
Clark, Clarence* United States 1983
Clark, Joseph* United States 1955
Clothier, William* United States 1956
Cochet, Henri* France 1976
Collins, Arthur W. "Bud" , Jr. United States 1994
Connolly (Brinker), Maureen* United States 1968
Connors, Jimmy United States 1998
Cooper, Ashley Australia 1991
Crawford, Jack* Australia 1979
Cullman 3rd, Joseph F. United States 1990

D
Danzig, Allison* United States 1968
David, Herman CBE* Great Britain 1998
Davis, Dwight* United States 1956
Dod, Lottie* Great Britain 1983
Doeg, John* United States 1962
Doherty, Lawrence* Great Britain 1980
Doherty, Reggie* Great Britain 1980
Douglass (Chambers), Dorothea* United States 1981
Drobny, Jaroslav* Great Britain 1983
du Pont, Margaret Osborne United States 1967
Durr, Francoise France 2003
Dwight, James* United States 1955

E
Emerson, Roy Australia 1982
Etchebaster, Pierre* France 1978
Evert, Chris United States 1995

F
Falkenburg,Bob >United States, Brazil 1974
Fraser, Neale Australia 1984
Fry-Irvin, Shirley United States 1970

G
Garland, Charles* United States 1969
Gibson, Althea United States 1971
Gonzalez, Pancho* United States 1968
Goolagong (Cawley), Evonne Australia 1988
Grant, Bryan* United States 1972
Gray, David* Great Britain 1985
Griffin, Clarence* United States 1970
Gustav V, King of Sweden* Sweden 1980

H
Hackett, Harold* United States 1961
Hansell, Ellen* United States 1965
Hard, Darlene United States 1973
Hart, Doris United States 1969
Haydon Jones, Ann Great Britain 1985
Heldman, Gladys* United States 1979
Hester, W.E. "Slew"* United States 1981
Hewitt, Bob Australia, South Africa 1992
Hoad, Lew* Australia 1980
Hopman, Harry* Australia 1978
Hotchkiss,Wightman,Hazel* United States 1957
Hovey, Fred* United States 1974
Hunt, Joe* United States 1966
Hunt, Lamar United States 1993
Hunter, Frank* United States 1961

J
Jacobs, Helen Hull* United States 1962
Johnston, Bill* United States 1958
Jones, Perry* United States 1970

K
Kelleher, Robert United States 2000
King, Billie Jean Moffitt United States 1987
Kodes, Jan Czechoslovakia 1990
Kramer, Jack United States 1968

L
Lacoste, Rene* France 1976
Laney, Al* United States 1979
Larned, William* United States 1956
Larsen, Art United States 1956
Laver, Rod Australia 1981
Lendl, Ivan USA 2001
Lenglen, Suzanne* France 1978
Lott, George* United States 1964

M
Mako, Gene United States 1973
Mallory, Molla Bjurstedt* Norway 1958
Mandlikova, Hana Czechoslovakia, Australia 1994
Marble, Alice* United States 1964
Martin, Alastair United States 1973
Martin, William McChesney* United States 1982
Maskell, Dan* Great Britain 1996
McEnroe, John United States 1999
McGregor, Ken Australia 1999
McKane (Godfree), Kathleen* Great Britain 1978
McKinley, Chuck* United States 1986
McLoughlin, Maurice* United States 1957
McMillan, Frew South Africa 1992
McNeill, Don* United States 1965
Moore, Elisabeth* United States 1971
Mortimer (Barrett), Angela Great Britain 1993
Mulloy, Gardnar United States 1972
Murray, R. Lindley* United States 1958
Myrick, Julian*
United States 1963

N
Nastase, Ilie Romania 1991
Navratilova, Martina United States 2000
Newcombe, John Australia 1986
Nielsen, Arthur* United States 1971
Nuthall (Shoemaker), Betty* Great Britain 1977

O
Olmedo, Alex Peru 1987
Osuna, Rafael* Mexico 1979
Outerbridge, Mary*
United States 1979

P
Palfrey (Danzig), Sarah* United States 1963
Parker, Frank* United States 1966
Patterson, Gerald* Australia 1989
Patty, Budge United States 1977
Pell, Theodore* United States 1966
Perry, Fred* Great Britain 1975
Pettitt, Tom* Great Britain 1982
Pietrangeli, Nicola Italy 1986

Q
Quist, Adrian* Australia 1984

R
Ralston, Dennis United States 1987
Renshaw, Ernest* Great Britain 1983
Renshaw, William* Great Britain 1983
Richards, Vincent* United States 1961
Richey, Nancy United States 2003
Riggs, Bobby* United States 1967
Roche, Tony Australia 1986
Roosevelt, Ellen* United States 1975
Rose, Mervyn Australia 2001
Rosewall, Ken Australia 1980
Round (Little), Dorothy* Great Britain 1986
Ryan, Elizabeth* United States 1972

S
Santana, Manuel Spain 1985
Savitt, Dick United States 1976
Schroeder, Ted United States 1966
Sears, Eleonora* United States 1968
Sears, Richard* United States 1955
Sedgman, Frank Australia 1979
Segura, Pancho Ecuador 1984
Seixas, Vic United States 1971
Shields, Frank* United States 1964
Shriver, Pam United States 2002
Slocum, Henry* United States 1955
Smith (Court), Margaret Australia 1979
Smith, Stan United States 1987
Stolle, Fred Australia 1985
Sutton (Bundy), May* United States 1956

T
Talbert, Bill* United States 1967
Tilden, Bill* United States 1959
Tingay, Lance* Great Britain 1982
Tinling, Ted* Great Britain 1986
Tobin, Brian Australia 2003
Townsend, Bertha Toulmin* United States 1974
Trabert, Tony United States 1970

V
Van Alen, James* United States 1965
Van Ryn, John* United States 1963
Vilas, Guillermo Argentina 1991
Vines, Ellsworth* United States 1962
Von Cramm, Gottfried* Germany 1977

W
Wade, Virginia Great Britain 1989
Wagner, Marie* United States 1969
Ward, Holcombe* United States 1956
Washburn, Watson* United States 1965
Whitman, Malcolm* United States 1955
Wilander, Mats Sweden 2002
Wilding, Anthony* Great Britain, New Zealand 1978
Williams 2nd, Richard N.* United States 1957
Wills (Moody Roark), Helen United States 1959
Wingfield, Walter Clopton* Great Britain 1997
Wood, Sidney United States 1964
Wrenn, Robert* United States 1955
Wright, Beals* United States 1956

* Deceased

BSharma · Post by **BSharma** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 6:50 pm

My reason for writing about the Tennis Hall of Fame is to see if the Indian tennis fans should try to do something to get an Indian inducted in to it.

Here are my questions for the Indian tennis fans:

- Does any Indian deserve to be in the Tennis Hall of Fame?
- If yes, how should we proceed to get him or her inducted?
- What role should the Indian tennis fans (members of this forum) play?
- Should the Indian tennis fans get the help of AITA, Indian newspaper sports reporters and other agencies, or go alone?
- Should the Indian tennis fans do a letter writing campaign (or email) to the voting members and also send supporting evidence?

In the previous post I have listed the eligibility requirements and the voting that takes place.

I think Ramanathan Krishnan and Vijay Amritraj deserve to be inducted in the Tennis Hall of Fame. Ramanathan Krishnan perhaps achieved a higher level of success (in ranking) but Vijay has done a lot for tennis (UN Peace Ambassador, etc) to promote it.

I feel that Leander will some day get into the Hall of Fame.

I would like to hear from the members of this forum.

Post by **jayakris** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 7:37 pm

It would appear that Ramanathan Krishnan should certainly be in the Hall, as the first Asian. But we need to do some research, and come up with some tangible data to make a case why he should be there - by providing case of other of similar or worse caliber being there already. He was after all considered in the top 5 for a reasonable length of time (this is before ATP ranks and all started - but some top-10 rank lists did exyst in the 50s and 60s.

Jay

gvhvhg · Post by **gvhvhg** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 2:00 am

Bhushan, in response to your questions

yes, Ramanathan (not Vijay)
Petition
Petition
Possibly
yes

I will engage myself in further reasearch

Lets get this done!

Post by **jayakris** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 2:57 am

Yeah, if we can make the case, I think this is something we tennis fans can and must try to do ..

Jay

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 1:21 pm

I am a great admirer of Ramanathan Krishnan's, and think we should make every effort to get him into the Hall of Fame. But I think it will be an uphill struggle, and one in which we'll probably have to use a combination of factors from the "Master Category" and "Contributor Category" to get a credible nomination for Ramanathan Krishnan. Despite being ranked as high as #3 in the world, Krishnan never won what are now considered the Grand Slam tournaments. Two semi-finals at Wimbledon, Davis Cup final, the title at Queen's and 20 or so other titles on the international amateur circuit may not qualify him in the Master category, where virtually everyone has either won a singles or doubles at a Slam (from a cursory look through the list). There are others such as Bud Collins who are instantly recognisable in the "Contributor" category, where Vijay (after his stint as ATP president and now an international commentator) probably comes closer to qualifying than Ramanathan (despite the latter's more impressive playing record). For Krishnan, we'll have to focus on his contributions to creating two generations of world-class tennis players from India (including his son Ramesh), leading the Davis Cup team to a second final, and making contributions to the administration of tennis in India (where, unfortunately, the Khannas and PLReddys never relinquished their vice-like grip). Sadly, I think this is going to be a very tough battle for us -- but one that is worth waging nonetheless!

gvhvhg · Post by **gvhvhg** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 4:35 pm

Here's a list of all the titles RK sr. won

Calcutta '54
Durham '54
Bombay '54
Madras '55
New Dehli '55
Sunderland '55
Bombay '56
Ceylan '56
Amritsar '57
Dehli '57
Bad Neunahr '58
Bombay'58
Dubrovnik '58
Madras '58
Madhya Pradesh '58
Manchester '58
Allahbad '59
Bristol '59
Calcutta '59
Denver '59
Madras '59
Queens Club '59
Amsterdam '61
Dusseldorf '61
Knokke Le Zoute '61
Ostende '61
Wiesbaden '61
Bangalore '62
Bombay '62
Indore '62
Antwerp '63
Deauville '63
Calcutta '64
New Dehli '64
Allahbad '65
Calcutta '65
Le Touquet '65
New Dehli '65
River Oaks '65
St. Petersburg '65
Antwerp '67
Toronto '68
Bombay '60
Calcutta'60
Madras '60
New Dehli '60
Singapore '72

I have put 4 in bold, because chronologically they look incorrect. Possibly they were supposed to be 1970.

If this seems like the majority are in india it is only because india was a prominent tour stop, and not because these tournaments had a lack of talent. Players like emerson, laver, etc played in india. These players have great respect for RK and if we eventually send something to the hall of fame we should get quotes from other hall of famers of RK'[s time. He beat every top player in his era except for Manuel Santana.

BSharma · Post by **BSharma** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 5:07 pm

I am thrilled to see the determination of the Indian tennis fans to get Ramanathan Krishnan in to the Hall of Fame. The suggestions given by everyone are great and will help us in this task. I agree that India was a big tour stop as it came close to the Australian Open. Every year I saw Ramanathan beat up the Australians, Europeans, etc in Allahabad (Central India Lawn tennis championship).

We will need to get the addresses of the voting members, perhaps contact Ramesh Krishnan who could give us all the necessary information about his father, and we should contact the Hall of Fame to see if the fans can send a petition with all the necessary information. I am sure that Laver, Emerson, etc will be helpful in getting Ramanathan in the Hall, and we should seek their advice and letters of support for Ramanathan. I will be tied up for the next few weeks but I am willing to work hard along with the other fans in getting an Indian into the Hall of Fame. I wonder if Jay or Dhruv can become the contact person where we can send all the information rather than cluttering up this forum.

Post by **jayakris** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 5:17 pm

Sure, I can contact Ramesh Krishnan soon, once we iron out some initial analysis .. Let's get to work. At least get the issue discussed at the HOF...

I think the biggest selling point is that no Asians are in the Hall. Ramanathan is the highest ranked Asian ever (Paradorn is not there yet in the top-5 and won't be elgible for at least another decade or more anyway).

Perhaps I should hold back on the Hall of Shame wisecracks in my notes

Jay

gvhvhg · Post by **gvhvhg** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 8:35 pm

I think that Tony Trabert is in charge of the HOF

This is good as i think he is from that era, he would know all about Ramanathan and should too believe that he truly belongs in the HOF.

Isn't that ironic, RK sr beat Barry Mckay who i'd never heard of until this morning when i was watching the Newport SF. (commentator)

gvhvhg · Post by **gvhvhg** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 9:01 pm

Here is a link to some more links of RK sr.

http://aolsearch.aol.com/aol/search?que ... n+Krishnan

gvhvhg · Post by **gvhvhg** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 4:37 pm

Dont let this thread die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rishav · Post by **Rishav** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 1:04 pm

hi,
i sure would like to see ramanathan in the list. So jay, what is ur action plan?

S_K_S · Post by **S_K_S** » Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:18 am

Wow!! Krishnan jee won Queens Club in 59!!!

Never knew that! I bet that really annoyed the establishment. Even now they are one of the most stuck up and pompous club around. Imagine what they must have been like in 59! I bet Krishnan jee has a few stories to tell about that.

sbasu · Post by **sbasu** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 1:41 am

As much as I'd like to see an Indian inducted into the Hall of Fame, I do not think any Indian player to date is worthy of such an honour. Instead of pushing for the induction of someone who probably doesn't deserve to be there, why don't we wait for a new star to emerge? Indian tennis is on the rise, so it should only be a matter of time.

The Sports-India Community